1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automated food and beverage delivery system. More particularly it relates to an automated food and beverage delivery system which provides customized servings based on customer choice and stored customer profile, health and nutritional data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vending machines which sell pre-packaged foods and beverages are known in the art. Vending machines are also known which dispense beverages such as coffee, hot chocolate or soft drinks where the customer selects the combinations and the machine dispenses each of the components from storage containers in measured amounts into a single receptacle which the customer removes from the machine.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,796 there is described a vending machine which produces French fried potatoes from a dehydrated powder. The powder is rehydrated and the French fries formed in a die within the machine. The fries are then cooked in hot oil and dispensed freshly fried to the customer. The only capacity the device has for customisation is the choice of whether or not to dispense salt and/or a sauce.
Computer programs are known where the customer inputs a serving choice and the computer prepares a sample menu. This sample menu is based on possible combinations from ingredients available to the user. Japanese patent specifications JP 200305064 and JP 2003141337 are exemplary of such systems. It is then up to the customer to prepare a meal based on the menu prepared by the computer.
Described in WO 03/056493 is a nutrition dispenser for dispensing doses of nutrition and medicine which are customized to the needs of the customer. The customer inputs a request and the dose to be dispensed is formulated from the nutrients and medicines stored in the dispenser using rules based logic to compare the customer's health and nutritional needs with standard nutritional and medicine tables. The choices of the customer are limited by the rules governing the dispensing of ingredients by the dispenser.
It is an object of this invention to go some way to overcoming these disadvantages or at least to offer the public a useful choice.